Karen Ridder

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The Tanganyika Wildlife Park takes a wildly different approach from other experiences I've seen in Kansas. While many zoos are gradually putting visitors further and further away from the animals, this park invites you for an up-close hands-on experience.

Every time I see the complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica on the shelves of my living room, I think of the Kansas State Fair. Strange? Perhaps, but of course, there's a story behind that...

When I used to live in Wichita, the State Fair in Hutchinson was a regular must-do for my friends and me. We eagerly looked forward to bierocks, the Old Mill roller water boat ride and a view of the annual butter sculpture in the Pride of Kansas building. Yes, there was something a bit kitschy about it all for us, cool twenty-somethings, but then again, we always had fun.

If you go to the Great Midwest Balloon Festival, prepare for a lot of pointing and "wow"-ing.

That pretty much sums up the experience my family had at this year's event in Olathe. There are really very few things that can truly thrill both the young and the old, but hot air balloons are one of them.

Fiesta Mexicana is so much a part of the Topeka summer experience that it is hard to keep in mind the event is simply a church fundraiser. Of course, there is nothing simple about it. A better way to describe "Fiesta" is a celebration of culture and community that one neighborhood shares with us all.

When I moved to Topeka ten years ago, the stretch of historic buildings lining North Kansas Avenue between NE Norris and NE Gordon were a bit run-down to say the least. Neglected and mostly abandoned, there were few bright spots along this stretch that led towards one of Topeka's top tourist spots - The Great Overland Station. As newbies to town, we thought that seemed too bad, but like many people, we kind of saw it as a dead-end.

The railroad is so closely tied to the Kansas story of adventure, opportunity and progress that it only seems fitting those visiting the state should take the time to ride the rails. Amtrak service is limited in our state, but excursion trains to provide a unique and relaxing opportunity to enjoy this piece of history.

The museum that bears the name of Martin and Osa Johnson is not exactly what you'd expect to find in the middle of Kansas. Then again, Martin and Osa Johnson were not exactly your run of the mill people.

When you visit Mine Creek Battlefield on a quiet day, you can almost see them there: 7,000 Confederate soldiers charging across a battlefield on horseback towards two highly outnumbered Union brigades cresting the hill. The Union forces freeze in their tracks against the odds, but are destined to carry the day.

Osawatomie is a great little Kansas day-trip full of history from a time when the state was new and people were passionate about their political positions. The town was a pivotal spot during the Bleeding Kansas fight for freedom. It stakes claim to being the place Kansans were first called "Jayhawkers" and is where the Kansas Republican party was founded. BUT, it is perhaps best known for its relation to the famous abolitionist, John Brown.